An API is a set of routines, protocols, and tools for building software applications. A good API makes it easier to develop a program by providing all the building blocks. A programmer then puts the blocks together. Many operating environments provide APIs so that programmers can write applications consistent with the operating environment. The APIs typically have associated documentation that provides instructions for using the API.
The documentation can exist in a variety of forms. In the past, the most common form for the documentation was bounded, hard-copy manuals. These manuals were typically large and bulky manuals that contained hundreds of pages of detailed information. To locate and retrieve information from these manuals, programmers were typically forced to search through massive amounts of irrelevant information. In a large organization that has many different business units, operating environments, computer systems and APIs, these manuals would cost programmers a lot of time and effort in searching and determining the correct API and its associated documentation they are looking for.
In this age of information technology, an abundance of these hard-copy manuals have been converted to electronic versions and placed in databases. Further, some newer documentation is specially designed for the Internet and computer systems. This includes documentation tools and interfaces that can generate or assist to generate electronic versions of documentations that are user-friendly and can be easily converted to programming codes applicable to APIs.
However, electronic versions of documentations of APIs may not be sufficient to overcome certain technical problems. In a large organization that has many different business units, operating environments, computer systems and APIs, the amount and complexity of APIs and their documentations have made it difficult for the organization's database to manage. Users in different business units and operating environments may attempt interactions with APIs of other business units and operating environments. It is inefficient to require a developer to know the identity of every business unit, operating environment, computer system, and API that they might interact with. Developers working on APIs associated with different computer systems or even subsystems of one computer system may need to use different coding languages as optimized choices for each different functionality. The large organization may have its computer systems and APIs updating very quickly, which makes it more difficult and cumbersome for developers of all APIs to keep up with the change and resolve conflicts timely. A simple electronic version of documentation or a system simply storing documentations do not relive the users much burden or provide timely coordination.
Therefore, there is a need for improved methods and systems for electronic API management.